Connected Citizens has been a smashing success in collective forecasting. We had over 500 players, from over 50 countries, play over 6700 cards. All in the span of 24 26 hours of game play. Core issues of governance, from openesss and transparency, to representation and voting, to taxes and funding models were covered. The wonks had their say, but so did the visionaries and revolutionaries. Players explored governance of space, new technologies that could disrupt (and improve) how government works, and new forms of citizenship for the digital age.

Once our heads stop spinning from all the intellectual excitement, we will dive in and begin our analysis. And you can too. Game data will be available for public access and analysis. We hope you’ll derive some key insights from the wealth of data generated and quality ideas that have been submitted. follow @iftf on twitter for further updates and to continue the conversation. And get out there and make your government and your communities better!

Congrats to the winners of the Mayor Award, granted for the most visionary government-led ideas for using civic technology. These include players justinpickarda UK-based PhD student researcher and prana.humby a self-described tea maker from the Russian River.

Congrats to all award winners and special thanks to all who contributed their microforecasts to help explore the future of citizenship and government!

The Johnnny Appleseed Award is given to the players most portable ideas that can be quickly duplicated in many jurisdictions around the world.

Players garnering this award include: lakme, a consultant from Paris, a Finnish CEO named rock as well as a student, Fortune from the same country, a neighborhood services coordinator from Roanoke, Virginia USA named BobC, and Richford, a London-based futurist.

The Bucky Fuller Award is for the most comprehensive ideas for redesigning government. For Connected Citizens, this award goes to player cssmith, Finnish-based player Penguin, player S@LeM from Dubai, and karenk10, a healthcare business analyst from Houston, TX USA.

The Penny Pincher Award goes to the most creative ideas for stretching government and citizen resources.

Given the global economic crises of the past few years, it’s not surprising that we found a bevy of people who were taking this approach.

Awards go to: player patwater, an analyst from Pasadena, CA USA, player stevewalterssucks, who self-identifies as a hacker from Boston, MA USA, Mr.Good, an advisor from the UAE and Washington DC-based computer scientist named tedks.

Three Finnish players were Penny Pincher award winners–from Finnish research manager Finesk to player Vesa who hails from Helsinki to student player lisole.

What makes a person choose to engage in the community? Typically, people do not engage for the sake of engagement, but because they are concerned about a specific issue impacting their lives. Major barriers to engagement include a lack of information as well a lacking sense of empowerment. The cure: Ensuring popular voice and transparency of governmental processes.

The theme of accountability is surfacing in various forms in a number of conversation strings. (See also the game blog, “Where to, Transparency?”) Suggestions for increasing accountability and reducing the influence of narrow interests (e.g. financial interests and power of a few) range from institutional changes to opportunities for using technology to increase transparency in elections and the legislative process.

Surfacing in the global exchanges, accountability is not achieved merely through live broadcasts of the legislative process but must also suggest criminal liability. And governments must hold all administrators responsible and carry out open budgeting processes. See following strings:

For the good of the community, some participants believe that greater accountability is required among companies and other organizations, too. What new mechanisms or legal forms (such a B Corps) could create this? http://game.connected-citizens.org/card_plays/5476

Many conversations touch on access to information. Creating easy access to information is important, but it’s not just about making data public. There’s also the need for citizens who know how to work with data and advocate for the community. See two strings touching on these points:

Finally, there can be no real accountability in government without ensuring popular voice. Citizen voice is vital for the sustainability of any governmental system. A communication string contends that free communication should be recognized as a human right. Another observes the need for people to also see how their voices influence decision makers. See two strings:

Ensuring popular voice and open access to information about governmental processes (such as elections and enacting laws), and who is trying to influence them, are core issues being raised in the Connected Citizens Forecast Engine.

Given the enormous response of players and the high level of activity we’ve seen in the last few hours, we’ve given our technical team a caffeine drip, and are extending game play until 2pm PST. That’s two more hours to submit your ideas, respond to others, and get in there and mix it up with people who care about improving government services and citizen engagement.

Challenge yourself to think about radical changes to how governance works. Is there a new technology that hasn’t been mentioned that could transform governance as we know it? Where is the most innovative thinking coming from? Who is going to make the future of government and citizenship? Tell us!